- Publish Date: Jul 22, 2010
Italian Wine In a Highball Glass
The sweet, fizzy white makes a killer cocktail.
Just because a wine region is known as one of the world's greatest, that doesn't mean all its wines are expensive. Take Italy's Piedmont region: Yes, it produces the prestigious reds Barolo and Barbaresco, but it's also home to Moscato d'Asti, a sweet, slightly effervescent white--that most Barolo drinkers would never touch.
But just because Moscato tastes more like Smirnoff Ice than a serious white, that doesn't mean it isn't useful. It can play a strong supporting role in a fresh, vibrant summer cocktail.
For this drink, we used Paolo Saracco Moscato d'Asti. It's a bright and fruity wine with only 6% alcohol, so there's a fair amount of natural sugar in the wine. That's its greatest strength as a cocktail component, since you only need to add some acid, alcohol and a little extra flavor to have a perfectly balanced drink.
Ingredients:
10-12 mint leaves
1 oz vodka
1 oz sweet and sour mix
4 oz Saracco Moscato d'Asti (chilled)
1 lemon wedge
1 lime wedge
Directions: Put the lemon and lime wedges in a cocktail shaker and muddle with half the mint leaves. Add vodka, sweet and sour mix and ice cubes. Stir until cool. Pour contents into a highball glass, then top it up with the Moscato d'Asti. Stir and garnish with the remaining mint leaves.
Notice we don't have a name for this cocktail? Give us a clever one here.
